Post-Surgical Patient Gown/Post-op Gown

ABSTRACT

An article of manufacture for providing a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gown is disclosed. The post-surgical patient gown has a pair of large abdominal pockets coupled to a front side of the body covering garment body, a plurality of zippered openings positioned on the front side of the body covering garment body, a pair of front slits with buttons positioned on either side of a centerline of the front side of the body covering garment body, each front slit being located above a corresponding large abdominal pocket, a pair of side slits with buttons positioned adjacent to each of the pair of sleeves along a vertical line separating the front side of the body covering garment body from a rear side of the body covering garment body, and a rear vertical opening runs the vertical length of the rear side of the body covering garment body.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates in general to an article of manufacture forproviding surgical patient aids, and more specifically, to an article ofmanufacture for providing a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gownaccording to the present invention.

BACKGROUND

The hospital gowns that are currently used have no front zippers. Thesegowns do have a slit at the top for the EKG wires and a pocket to hostthe EKG box. In order to care for any surgical wound, a nurse or doctorhas to lift up the patient’s gown, potentially exposing them and whenthe gown is stuck under the patient, it causes significant pain torelease the gown in order to care for the patient.

Therefore, a need exists for an article of manufacture for providing apost-surgical patient gown/post-op gown according to the presentinvention. The present invention attempts to address the limitations anddeficiencies in prior solutions according to the principles and exampleembodiments disclosed herein.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, the above and other problemsare solved by providing an article of manufacture providing apost-surgical patient gown/post-op gown according to the principles andexample embodiments disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, the present invention is an article of manufacturefor providing a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gown according to thepresent invention. The post-surgical patient gown has a pair of largeabdominal pockets coupled to a front side of the body covering garmentbody, a plurality of zippered openings positioned on the front side ofthe body covering garment body, a pair of front slits with buttonspositioned on either side of a centerline of the front side of the bodycovering garment body, each front slit being located above acorresponding large abdominal pocket, a pair of side slits with buttonspositioned adjacent to each of the pair of sleeves along a vertical lineseparating the front side of the body covering garment body from a rearside of the body covering garment body, and a rear vertical opening runsthe vertical length of the rear side of the body covering garment body.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the plurality of zippered openingsinclude a vertical zipper at midline chest location on the front side ofthe body covering garment body running about a mid-point of a torsovertically to a point below the neckline, a pair of horizontal zipperscentered between a corresponding side slit with buttons and the verticalzipper, each of the pair of horizontal zippers being centered above acorresponding front slit with buttons, and a C-shaped flap zippercentered below the vertical zipper. The C-shaped flap zipper runsdownward on each side of the centerline of the front side of the bodycovering garment body from a midpoint of the C-shaped flap zipper.

In another aspect of the disclosure, each of the front slits withbuttons having at least two buttons to secure the front slit closed.

In another aspect of the disclosure, each of the side slits with buttonshaving at least two buttons to secure the side slit closed

In another aspect of the disclosure, the body covering garment body issized for an adult patient body.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the body covering garment body issized for a pediatric patient body.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of the present invention in order that the detaileddescription of the invention that follows may be better understood.Additional features and advantages of the invention will be describedhereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention.

It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conceptionand specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis formodifying or designing other structures for carrying out the samepurposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by thoseskilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims. The novel features that are believed to be characteristic of theinvention, both as to its organization and method of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages will be better understood from thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, thateach of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration anddescription only and is not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers representcorresponding parts throughout:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an article of manufacture forproviding a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gown according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of an article of manufacture forproviding a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gown according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This application relates in general to an article of manufacture forproviding a surgical patient aid, and more specifically, to an articleof manufacture for providing a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gownaccording to the present invention.

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detailwith reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numeralsrepresent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views.Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of theinvention, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attachedhereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification arenot intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the manypossible embodiments for the claimed invention.

In describing embodiments of the present invention, the followingterminology will be used. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the”include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Thus, for example, reference to “a needle” includes reference to one ormore of such needles and “etching” includes one or more of such steps.As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositionalelements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list forconvenience. However, these lists should be construed as though eachmember of the list is individually identified as a separate and uniquemember. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as ade facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based ontheir presentation in a common group without indications to thecontrary. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise.

It further will be understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,”“includes,” and “including” specify the presence of stated features,steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, steps or components. It also should be notedthat in some alternative implementations, the functions and acts notedmay occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twofigures shown in succession may in fact be executed substantiallyconcurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order,depending upon the functionality and acts involved.

The terms “patient,” and “user” refer to an entity, e.g., a human, usinga post-surgical patient gown/post-op gown associated with the invention.The term user herein refers to one or more users.

The term “invention” or “present invention” refers to the inventionbeing applied for via the patent application with the title“Post-Surgical Patient Gown/Post-op Gown.” Invention may be usedinterchangeably with gown.

In general, the present disclosure relates to an article of manufacturefor providing surgical patient aids. To better understand the presentinvention, FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an article of manufacturefor providing a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gown according to thepresent invention.

The postop gown 100 will have a vertical zipper at midline chest 102 toevaluate and care for a cardiac surgery stemotomy wound. The verticalzipper at midline chest 102 typically runs about a mid-point of thetorso vertically to a point below a neckline. A zipper mechanismdirectly over different body areas allows for easy access to surgicalwounds while preserving modesty and comfort for the patient. The pocketsto host drains allow easy mobility for the patient.

The gown 100 is made of a body covering garment body 101 having a pairof sleeves 101 b-c. The gown 100 also includes side slits 106 a-b withbuttons on both sides of the lateral chest to allow for evaluation andcare of thoracotomy/chest wounds and passage of chest tubes. A pair offront slits with buttons 105 a-b positioned on both sides of the gown100 and above a corresponding pair of large abdominal pockets 107 a-bprovide access to the patient allowing evaluation and care ofthoracotomy/chest wounds and passage of chest tubes. A pair of frontslits with zippers 104 a-b are positioned on both sides of the gown 100and adjacent to the side slits 106 a-b.

A large C-shaped flap zipper 103 in the mid-abdomen region 101e isincluded to permit health care workers to evaluate and care forabdominal wounds and ostomies. It will also have two slits with buttonson the side to allow drains to come through. While the exampleembodiment of FIG. 1 includes the use of buttons and correspondingbuttonholes to secure the above openings within the gown 100, othersecuring mechanisms include, but are not limited to, snaps, hooks, andVelcro™.

The two large abdominal pockets 107 a-b are positioned on each side of acenterline of the gown 100 to hold various items, for example monitoringdevices. The abdominal pockets 107 a-b are shown having similar sizesand may also be used for drains located below. Each of these pockets 107a-b may be of different sizes and locations depending upon the needs andsize of a particular patient. For example, pediatric sized gowns 100 maybe required to move one or more of the pockets to utilize availablesurface area on the gown 100 in order to accommodate locating all of theabove zippers 102-103 and slits 105 a-b, 106 a-b on a smaller patient.Are there sizes for the zippers that are preferred and are they made ofany particular material? Also is the garment body made of an particularmaterial i.e. polyester, cotton, nylon ???

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of an article of manufacture forproviding a post-surgical patient gown/post-op gown according to thepresent invention. The gown 100 includes a rear vertical opening 201 toallow the gown 100 to be placed onto a patient. The vertical opening 201may be closed and secured using one or more ties 202 a-c in the backlike traditional hospital gowns. The pair of side slits 106 a-b are seenalong the body of the gown 100.

The gown 100 may be made in different sizes to fit properly on variouspatients. These sizes may include big and tall sizes for largerpatients, adult sizes for many patients, and pediatric sizes for childpatients. The size of the above zippers 102-103, 104 a-b and slits 105a-b, 106 a-b as well as their locations may be moved to address thereduced surface area of smaller gowns. These openings are required to belarge enough to allow health care workers to gain access as well aspermit monitor wires, intravenous lines, and wound drains to passthrough for the corresponding-sized patient.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in thepresent application, these combinations are not intended to limit thedisclosure of the invention. In fact, many of these features may becombined in ways not specifically recited in this application. In otherwords, any of the features mentioned in this application may be includedin this new invention in any combination or combinations to allow thefunctionality required for the desired operations.

No element, act, or instruction used in the present application shouldbe construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitlydescribed as such. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean“based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.

What is claimed is:
 1. An article of manufacture for providing apost-surgical patient gown having a body covering garment body, a pairof sleeves, a neckline, and a rear vertical opening, the post-surgicalpatient gown comprises: a pair of large abdominal pockets coupled to afront side of the body covering garment body; a plurality of zipperedopenings positioned on the front side of the body covering garment body;a pair of front slits with buttons positioned on either side of acenterline of the front side of the body covering garment body, eachfront slit being located above a corresponding large abdominal pocket; apair of side slits with buttons positioned adjacent to each of the pairof sleeves along a vertical line separating the front side of the bodycovering garment body from a rear side of the body covering garmentbody; and the rear vertical opening runs the vertical length of the rearside of the body covering garment body.
 2. The post-surgical patientgown according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of zippered openingscomprise: a vertical zipper at midline chest location on the front sideof the body covering garment body running about a mid-point of a torsovertically to a point below the neckline; a pair of horizontal zipperscentered between a corresponding side slit with buttons and the verticalzipper, each of the pair of horizontal zippers being centered above acorresponding front slit with buttons; and a C-shaped flap zippercentered below the vertical zipper, the C-shaped flap zipper runsdownward on each side of the centerline of the front side of the bodycovering garment body from a midpoint of the C-shaped flap zipper. 3.The post-surgical patient gown according to claim 2, wherein each of thefront slits with buttons having at least two buttons to secure the frontslit closed.
 4. The post-surgical patient gown according to claim 2,wherein each of the side slits with buttons having at least two buttonsto secure the side slit closed.
 5. The post-surgical patient gownaccording to claim 2, wherein the body covering garment body is sizedfor an adult patient body.
 6. The post-surgical patient gown accordingto claim 2, wherein the body covering garment body is sized for apediatric patient body.